The invention is in the field of countertop mounting units, such as sink mounts. More particularly, the invention relates to sealing means associated with sink mounts and the like.
Laminated countertops are typically constructed with a thin surface layer of plastic laminate (such as FORMICA(trademark) brand laminate from the Formica Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio). The laminate is generally made up of layers of colored paper impregnated with polymeric resin and pressed into sheet stock. The surface laminate is typically bonded to a wood fibre core, such as plywood, particle board or flake board. The laminate serves, among other things, to seal the surface of the countertop against liquids. Similarly, porous countertops may be covered with tiles, typically made from ceramic materials, to form a surface seal.
To mount a sink in a laminated or tile countertop, a cross-sectional hole is typically cut through the porous core. The core, such as wood fibre, exposed by the cross-sectional cut in the countertop is generally porous. A seal must be used to exclude water from the unlaminated, cut edge of the countertop. Typically, this is achieved by dropping a sink with an upper circumferential flange into the mounting aperture from above. In some cases, steps may be taken to seal the flange against the laminated or tiled countertop. In the case of a tile countertop, the top of which may be uneven, it may be particularly difficult to form such a seal.
The traditional method of mounting flanged drop-in sinks gives rise to a number of problems. For example, it is not convenient to run cleaning solution over the flange, since the cleaner would not run back into the sink but out over the countertop. Wiping the countertop next to the flange tends to have the effect of forcing water, dirt and debris under the flange.
If the seal between the sink flange of a drop-in sink and the countertop laminate or tile deteriorates, water can leak down into the exposed porous wood fibre edge of the countertop core. The positioning of the flange above the wood fibre edge facilitates this undesirable downward flow into the core. Eventually, the countertop may suffer structural failure as the wetted core first swells, then looses its structural integrity altogether. Even before the fibre core fails, however, the area beneath a leaking sink flange may become an unsanitary habitat for the proliferation of microorganisms.
Solid countertops, made of natural materials such as stone, are a generally a more expensive alternative to laminated countertops. Synthetic polymer based xe2x80x98solid surfacexe2x80x99 materials have been developed as an alternative to natural solid surface countertop materials. For example, E.I. du Pant de Nemours and Company sell an alumina trihydrate filled methylmethacrylate polymer solid surface countertop material, marketed under the trade-mark CORIAN(trademark). Similar polymer based synthetic products are also available from others, such as AVONITE(trademark) (by Avonite, Inc., Belen, N. Mex.), FOUNTAINHEAD(trademark) (by the Nevamar Division of International Paper, Odenton, Md. a homogeneous, thermoses polymer alloy, comprised of polyester and acrylic components and filled with aluminum trihydrate), SURELL(trademark) (by Wilden Industries, Inc.) and GIBRALTAR(trademark) (an acrylic resin with fire-retardant mineral fillers, by Wilsonart International, Temple, Tex.). These solid surface materials generally have high temperature resistance, low thermal expansion, low water absorption (they are non-porous) and are hard and impact resistant.
Polymer based solid surface materials are generally available as sheet stock in an appropriate thickness for use as countertop material, such as xc2xc inch xc2xd inch or xc2xe inch thicknesses. Alternatively, thinner solid surface materials may be available as a laminated layer on a substrate such as plywood or particleboard (such as xe2x85x9 inch Solid Surfacing Veneer xe2x80x98SSVxe2x80x99 product available from Wilsonart International, Temple, Tex.).
The widespread market acceptance of novel solid surface materials has led in turn to new developments in kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Unlike laminated countertops, solid surface countertops lack a porous wettable core. As a result, a sink may be mounted to the underside of an aperture cut in a solid surface countertop, and the non-porous crosssectional edge of the countertop left exposed without risk of damage to the countertop. To take advantage of this feature, a wide range of sinks are available that have been adapted for installation below countertop surfaces. These xe2x80x98undermountxe2x80x99 sinks generally include an upper peripheral flange adapted to seal against the underside of a solid surface countertop. Undermount sinks may be made out of a wide variety of materials, including natural stone, polymer based solid surface materials and stainless steel (which may be available for example from Kindred Industries of Midland Ontario, Canada).
At least in part because of the problems inherent in the typical method of top-mounting drop-in sinks, undermount sinks have gained widespread acceptance for use with solid surface countertops. However, solid surface countertops remain significantly more expensive than laminated countertops. It is therefore an object of the present invention to facilitate the use of undermount sinks with laminated countertops, including countertops laminated with polymeric solid surface materials, as well as tiled countertops.
In one aspect, the invention provides an apertured mounting unit comprising a deck sheet with a top surface and a bottom surface. The deck sheet may have a porous cross-sectional edge defining an aperture. Such an aperture may be of any shape and may be completely defined by surrounding deck sheet, or may be a partial cut-out in the deck sheet, such as a semi-circular cut-out in one side of the deck sheet.
A non-porous seal member is provided to facilitate sealing of the cross-sectional edge. As used herein, a nonporous material is defined as a material that is generally resistant to the passage of fluids, especially water, while porous materials do not form an adequate fluid barrier. It will be appreciated that these are relative terms, reflecting a difference in the porosity of the seal member and the deck sheet.
The outer peripheral surface of the seal member may be positioned to abut the cross-sectional edge. The inner peripheral surface of the seal member accordingly defines an opening.
A utility member, such as a sink, may be provided for mounting to the apertured mounting unit. The utility member may have a circumferential outwardly extending flange. This flange need not extend from the whole circumference of the utility member. The utility member is adapted for sealing engagement with the bottom surface of the seal member and adapted to abut a stopping surface fixed with respect to the bottom surface of the deck sheet. The utility member may be supported, or depend, from a bottom surface of the deck sheet.
A fastener or other means are provided for removably supporting the utility member from the bottom surface of the deck sheet. The removability of the utility member may be desirable, for example, to facilitate replacement of a damaged sink. Such removal of the utility member may necessitate careful removal of any adhesive, such as cured silicone, holding the utility member to the ring. The means for removably holding the utility member includes adhesives, clamps or other biasing means, as well as combinations and equivalents thereof. A wide variety of fasteners and means for holding may be utilized, such as those that are known in the art of sink undermounting, including nails, screws, nuts with bolts and specialized sink-mounting clamps, all of which may be used for the present invention provided they are capable of removably supporting the utility member on the bottom of the deck sheet.
The fasteners or means for holding the utility member may be used to apply a biasing force to bias the circumferential outwardly extending flange of the utility member towards the bottom surface of the deck sheet, and against the stopping surface and, simultaneously, into sealable engagement with the bottom surface of the seal member. The engagement between the flange and the ring is xe2x80x98sealablexe2x80x99 in some embodiments, rather than sealed, in as much as the parts are juxtaposed but forming a liquid-tight seal may require the additional use of an adhesive, gasket, packing, spacer or equivalent structures between the flange and the ring.
In some embodiments, the stopping surface engages the flange to communicate the biasing force to the bottom surface of the deck sheet. This may help to prevent undue upward biasing force from being transmitted to the seal member.
The stopping surface may be the bottom surface of the deck sheet. Alternatively, the stopping surface may be the bottom surface of the seal member, with a portion of the seal member abutting the bottom surface of the deck sheet. The seal member may comprise a horizontal portion that extends below the deck sheet. A top surface of the horizontal portion may abut the bottom surface of the deck sheet.
In a further alternative, the cross-sectional edge and seal member may be matingly profiled so that in the profiled portion of the cross-sectional edge an upper segment of the cross-sectional edge projects further into the aperture than a lower segment of the cross-sectional edge. The profiled portion of the cross-sectional edge restricts the upward movement of the seal member with respect to the deck sheet. Any biasing force applied to the seal member is transmitted to the bevelled cross-sectional edge of the deck sheet.
A clamp may be used to fasten the utility member to the deck sheet. Such a clamp may be adapted for threadably biasing a clamping member against the flange. The clamp may comprise a threaded member depending downwardly from a bore in the deck sheet, the bore and the threaded member being sized to prevent the threaded member from moving downwardly in the deck sheet, the threaded member being adapted to threadably receive a nut to retain a clamp member for applying the biasing force.
In one embodiment, a generally planar portion of the bottom surface of the seal member may be substantially coplanar with an adjacent generally planar portion of the bottom surface of the deck sheet. In such an embodiment, the flange may be adapted to sealably engage the generally planar portion of the bottom surface of the seal member and to abut the generally planar portion of the bottom surface of the deck sheet. The generally planar portion of the bottom surface of the deck sheet may thereby comprise the stopping surface against which the flange is biased.
The seal member may comprise a solid surface material selected from the group of polyester resins; acrylic resins; cast acrylic resins with inert fillers, mineral filled polyester resins; mineral filled acrylic resins; methylmethacrylate polymers with alumina trihydrate fillers; and, homogeneous, thermoses polymer alloys comprised of polyester and acrylic components and filled with aluminium trihydrate. Equivalent compositions known to those skilled in this art may also be used.
A generally planar portion of the top surface of the deck sheet and a generally planar portion of the top surface of the seal member may be generally coplanar. A countertop material, such as traditional paper laminate, SSV laminate, tile or equivalents thereof, may be bonded to the generally planar portion of the top surface of the deck sheet-in sealing engagement with the generally planar portion of the top surface of the seal member.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method of manufacturing an apertured mounting unit comprising the steps, not necessarily is sequential order, of:
1) providing a porous deck sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface;
2) cutting the deck sheet to form a porous crosssectional edge in the deck sheet defining an aperture;
3) forming a non-porous seal member having a top surface and a bottom surface, the seal member being dimensioned to fit inside the aperture and abut the crosssectional edge of the deck sheet; and,
4) inserting the seal member into the aperture in abutment with the cross-sectional edge of the deck sheet.
Additional steps may include:
5) providing a utility member with an outwardly extending circumferential flange; and,
6) removably fastening the utility member to the deck sheet by applying a biasing force to bias the upper circumferential flange of the utility member into sealable engagement with the bottom surface of the seal member as the upper circumferential flange is biased against a stopping surface that is fixed with respect to the bottom surface of the deck sheet, the stopping surface communicating the biasing force to the bottom surface of the deck sheet.
In another aspect, the invention provides an apertured mounting unit comprising a deck sheet with a top and a bottom surface. An aperture is cut in the deck sheet, so that the deck sheet has a cross-sectional edge that defines the aperture. The edge of the deck sheet exposed in cross-section is generally porous (relative, for example, to the surface of a laminated or tile countertop). This is the case, if, for example, the deck sheet core is comprised of plywood, particle board or flake board. A non-porous, and preferably rigid, seal member, such as a ring, abuts up against, and may be glued to, the cross-sectional deck sheet edge. The seal member, like the deck sheet, has top and bottom surfaces.
In some embodiments, the top and bottom surfaces of the seal member adjacent to the edge of the deck sheet may be coplanar with the top and bottom surfaces of the deck sheet. In such embodiments, {fraction (1/16)} inch to xc2xe inch of the bottom surface of the seal member adjacent to the crosssectional edge may be coplanar with the adjacent bottom surface of the deck sheet, so that an undermount sink (or other utility member) may be sealably mounted against the bottom surface of the seal member. In some embodiments, sealing engagement between the sink flange and the seal member may be facilitated if the bottom planar surface of the seal member is at least xc2xc inch wide. If the top surface of the seal member is coplanar with the top surface of the deck sheet, a countertop laminate may be sealed across the top surface of the seal member and the top surface of the deck sheet. Any appropriately flanged appliance or fixture may be attached as a utility member to the underside of the countertop in sealing abutment with the bottom surface of the seal member.
To manufacture the apertured mounting unit according to one embodiment of the invention, a deck sheet is provided. The deck sheet has top and bottom surfaces. An aperture is cut in the deck sheet, to form a crosssectional edge on the deck sheet defining the aperture. The cross-sectional cut in the deck sheet exposes the porous core of the deck sheet. A seal member, preferably rigid, having top and bottom surfaces, is formed. The seal member is dimensioned to fit inside the aperture and abut the edge of the deck sheet. The seal member is inserted into the aperture in abutment with the cross-sectional edge of the deck sheet. The top and bottom surfaces of the seal member adjacent to the edge may be coplanar with the adjacent top and bottom surfaces of the deck sheet. The top surface of the deck sheet and the seal member may be covered with a layer of laminate, sealing over the top of the joint between the seal member and the deck sheet.
In one embodiment, the seal member is formed by cutting at least two strips of appropriately dimensioned seal member material from seal member sheet stock. The strips of seal member material are then heated to a temperature at which the strips are deformable. The strips may then be molded, each to an appropriate shape to fit against a portion of the deck sheet edge. The strips may then be bonded together to form a complete seal member in the shape of a ring (a seal ring). A groove may then be cut in the bottom surface of the seal ring, into which a gasket may be sealably seated. Alternatively, the gasket material may be applied to the seal ring as a bead of hardenable liquid. The gasket material may be a resilient polymer based material, or any other suitable water-resistant, preferably deformable, compound capable of mediating sealing engagement between the seal member that a utility member flange.
The ready-made combination of deck sheet and seal member may be conveniently shipped to consumers for final installation as a mounting unit. In an alternative embodiment, utility member may be installed on deck sheet with seal member prior to shipment of the assembled article to consumers. An appropriately dimensioned laminated mounting unit may be fitted as one piece of a modular countertop, using standard countertop assembly methods. If the mounting unit is not laminated, final installation may be accomplished by joining the mounting unit to the remainder of a countertop core, the top and bottom surfaces of the mounting unit being aligned respectively with the top and bottom surfaces of the countertop core. Then, the top surface of the countertop, including the deck sheet and the top surface of the seal member may be laminated. Once bonded, the countertop laminate layer seals against the top surface of the seal member and deck sheet, to provide a countertop liquid barrier to keep water and other liquids away from the porous cross-sectioned core of the countertop exposed at the edge of the deck sheet. Excess laminate sheet may be trimmed from the countertop surface. As part of the trimming process, the solid surface ring seal material may be sanded or routed to an aesthetic and functional finished shape.
Once the mounting unit is in place in a countertop, an undermount sink, or other fixture, may be affixed to the bottom surface of the mounting unit. To seal the upper peripheral sink flange to the bottom surface of the seal member, a bead of appropriate liquid sealant, such as silicone adhesive or equivalents thereof, may be applied to the bottom surface of the seal member before the sink flange is clamped to the bottom surface of the mounting unit. In addition, a gasket may be used to help seal the sink flange to the seal member. The gasket may be seated in, and protrude downwardly from, a channel in the bottom surface of the seal member. Alternatively, the gasket may be applied to the planar bottom surface of the ring. When the sink is in place, the gasket may sealingly abut the sink flange. The gasket may be made of a resilient polymer based material, such as silicone rubber, or any other water resistant material, preferably deformable, that is capable of mediating sealing engagement between the seal member and the utility member flange. The seal between a sink flange and the bottom surface of the seal member provides a counter-bottom liquid barrier to keep water and other liquids away from the porous cross-sectioned core of the deck sheet.
When the seal member is installed between a layer of countertop laminate and an undermount sink flange, it acts as a gasket, sealing the space between the countertop laminate and the undermount sink flange. The seal member thereby isolates the relatively porous cross-sectioned core of the deck sheet from any liquid. A further barrier is provided by the abutment of the seal member itself against the cross-sectional edge of the deck sheet. The seal member may be glued to the cross-sectional edge, the adhesive providing a further barrier to keep liquid away from the porous core of the deck sheet.
Although the deck sheet may be comprised of wood fibre material such as plywood, particle board or flake board, the deck sheet may be made of a dense water-resistant board, such as MEDITE(trademark) or MEDIX(trademark) brand board (manufactured by the Medite Corporation, Medford, Oreg.). The use of such board further reduces the risk of water damage to the cross-sectioned edge of the deck sheet. In alternative embodiments, the deck sheet may be fashioned out of a wide variety of porous materials in addition to cellulose based materials, such as plaster board.
The thickness of the deck sheet may be tailored to match the standard thickness of laminated countertop core materials in common use. In many areas of North America, for example, this will correspond to ⅝ inch board. Similarly, the deck sheet may be cut to overall dimensions that facilitate installation of the mounting unit with standard laminated countertops, 27 inches wide by 49 inches long being one preferred size in North America.
The seal member may be made of molded plastic, such as cured polyester or acrylic resin based plastics. The plastic may be comprised of solid surface countertop material, such as CORIAN(trademark) brand sheet from the Dupont Company (methylmethacrylate polymer and alumina trihydrate filler) or FOUNTAINHEAD(trademark) brand solid surface material (homogeneous, thermoses polymer alloy, comprised of polyester and acrylic components and filled with aluminum trihydrate).
A wide variety of solid surface countertop materials are available in standard sheet forms of varying thickness. To produce the seal member of the invention, appropriate solid surface sheet material may be cut into appropriately dimensioned strips which are then heat formed to an appropriate shape. The temperature and duration of heat forming will vary with the material used. 315xc2x0 Fahrenheit (F.)-330xc2x0 F. is in some embodiments appropriate for CORIAN(trademark) brand material, while 260xc2x0 F.-290xc2x0 F. may be suitable in some embodiments for polyester resin based materials such as CAROTENE(trademark), AVONITE(trademark), FOUNTAINEAD(trademark), SURELL(trademark) or GIBRALTAR(trademark). The duration of heating will also vary with material size and composition, 15 to 20 minutes being suitable for some ⅝xe2x80x3xc3x97xc2xdxe2x80x3 strips of CORIAN(trademark) brand material. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that variations in these specifications are appropriate in some circumstances, to produce the desired deformation of the solid surface material.
It is also be possible to injection mold appropriate seal members in a unitary form. Alternatively, material may be extruded into strips that can be cut, bent and joined to form appropriate seal members. In some embodiments, the outer peripheral surface of the ring may have protrusions or indentations that mate with corresponding indentations or protrusions on the cross-sectional edge of the deck sheet.
The cross-sectional edge of the deck sheet may be beveled inwardly from the top surface of the deck sheet to the bottom surface, so that the top of the edge projects further into the aperture than the bottom of the edge. In this embodiment, the seal member has a corresponding bevel, which may, for example, be 3 degrees from vertical.
A method of manufacturing an apertured mounting unit in accordance with the invention may comprise the steps of:
providing a deck sheet having a top surface and a planar bottom surface;
cutting an aperture in the deck sheet, to form a cross-sectional edge in the deck sheet defining the aperture;
forming a non-porous seal member having a top surface and a planar bottom surface, the seal member being dimensioned to fit inside the aperture and abut the edge of the deck sheet; and,
inserting the seal member into the aperture in abutment with the cross-sectional edge of the deck sheet, so that the planar bottom surface of the seal member is coplanar with the planar bottom surface of the deck sheet.
A method of forming the seal member may further comprise of the steps of:
providing at least two strips of appropriately dimensioned seal member material selected from the group consisting of polyester resins; acrylic resins; cast acryl resins with inert filler; mineral filled polyester resins; mineral filled acrylic resins; methylmethacrylate polymers with alumina trihydrate fillers; thermoses polymer alloys comprised of polyester and acrylic components and filled with aluminum trihydrate;
heating the strips of seal member material to a temperature at which the strips are deformable;
molding the heated strips to an appropriate shape to fit against a portion of the deck sheet edge; and
bonding the strips of seal member material together to form the seal member.
The method of forming the seal member may further comprise the step of providing a resilient gasket on the bottom surface of the seal member.
A method of installing the apertured mounting of the invention may comprise the steps of:
providing an apertured mounting unit comprising:
a deck sheet with a top and a bottom surface, the deck sheet having a cross-sectional edge defining an aperture;
a non-porous seal member abutting the edge, the seal member having top and bottom surfaces, the top and bottom surfaces of the seal member adjacent to the edge being generally flush with adjacent top and bottom surfaces of the deck sheet; and
the a top surface of the mounting unit comprised of the top surfaces of the sheet deck and the seal member, and a bottom surface comprised of the bottom surfaces of the sheet deck and the seal member;
providing a countertop core having top and bottom surfaces;
joining the apertured mounting unit to the countertop core, the top and bottom surfaces of the mounting unit being aligned respectively with the top and bottom surfaces of the countertop core;
bonding a laminate sheet to the top surfaces of the countertop core and the mounting unit, to provide a countertop surface seal spanning the junctions between the seal member, deck sheet and countertop core;
trimming excess laminate sheet from the countertop surface;
providing a utility member with a flange adapted for under-mounting to a countertop aperture;
sealingly affixing the flange of the utility member to the bottom surface of the seal member.